STRONGSVILLE, Ohio - The co-owner of Goldie's Deli and Restaurant, on Pearl Road just north of Royalton Road, said it will take several months for his business to recover and reopen after a Jan. 7 fire destroyed the interior.

Tony Ina told cleveland.com that he and his brother, Goldie's co-owner Mounir Ina, have not yet started renovating the interior. They are waiting for the owner of Crossroads Market Plaza - the retail center at 13500 Pearl, where Goldie's is located - to restore the building's exterior. That work is ongoing.

"We are very thankful that the restaurant was closed for the evening (of the fire) and no one was injured," Tony Ina said. "The material things can be replaced.

"We have also heard from many of our customers, and we are grateful for their kind words and messages," Ina said.

Black Metal Tattoo Co., next door to Goldie's, was also gutted by the fire. Adam Oiler, who owns the tattoo shop, said he plans to reopen in the same location, but not for several months.

"I lost everything," Oiler said.

The Strongsville Fire Department and the Ohio State Fire Marshal's office, after a joint investigation, have declared the cause of the fire undetermined, said Strongsville Assistant Fire Chief AJ Aljabi.

Aljabi said the fire started along the roof line of Black Metal Tattoo, but investigators could not find a source of ignition.

Two other Crossroads Market Plaza businesses - Premier Impressions Printing and Yasna Tailoring - were less seriously damaged by fire, smoke, water and/or odor. They are now operating again, Aljabi said.

The fire also damaged a vacant space formerly occupied by State Farm and a gallery inside the plaza.

The fire was reported by several drivers who saw smoke rising from the retail plaza at 8:34 p.m. Jan. 7. Strongsville firefighters arrived on the scene at 8:40 p.m., according to the Fire Department report, and found flames shooting through the roof. No one was inside any of the businesses.

Eventually, Brook Park, Brunswick, Middleburg Heights, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls and Parma sent firefighters to help extinguish the blaze. Police closed the southbound lanes of Pearl in front of the plaza while firefighters worked.

Ina said he learned about the fire through a family friend who had driven past the plaza and seen the smoke. Ina arrived by 9 p.m.

"At first, we had to wait across the street until we could be cleared to come over to the parking lot," Ina said. "My brother Moe and I were allowed into the restaurant around 11 p.m. for a few minutes to assess the damage."

Oiler said his alarm company notified him about the fire at about 8:45 p.m. He immediately left his home in Brunswick.

"When I got there, the fire was out, pretty much," Oiler said. "Seeing all the fire trucks, I knew it was going to be bad."

The fire was under control by 10:43 p.m., according to the report. The initial damage estimate was $500,000, but insurance companies are still working on their own assessments.